integrating school-based technology for

Integrating School-Based Technology

for

Personalized Learning

Presented by

Mike MacDonald

Principal Calgary Board of Education

Distributed Learning Symposium Calgary, March 09

Framework

“ The issue that confronts schools is broader than technology. It is about learning and the need to provide new ways to identify and measure the skills and knowledge that students gain from using technology. It is about building the capacity of teachers to evaluate technology resources and to align their uses with the learning goals and content standards of the curriculum.”

(McNabb, Hawkes, Rouk, 1999)

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Personalized Learning

“ Personalization is about individuals, but it is relational between the teacher, the student, the home, and the school”

(Fullan, Hill, Crevola, Breakthrough, 2006)

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Guiding Questions

“How will what we are planning to do improve the level of student achievement in our school?”

“How will we be able to tell?”

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Guiding Questions

“How can I help my teachers createlearning that is more personalized, engaging and accessible?”

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Outline

Technology Planning Professional Development Technology Integration Assessing the Technology Plan

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Assessing the Need

What are the current skill/comfort levels of the staff?

What are they interested in?

What do they feel that they need to learn?

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Larson

Assessing the Need

Turning Point

Senteo

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Immediate Assessment Tools

Comfort Level

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Don’t underestimate the effect that comfort level can have on the level of learning.

“When it comes to affecting behaviour…… feelings are more influential than thoughts.”

John Kotter, A Sense of Urgency, 2008

Professional Development

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Now you have the “what”, the “why” and the “when”.

What you need next is the “who” and the “how”.

Effective Professional Development must have several key components:

Professional Development

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Components of Effective Professional Development:

• clear focus on student learning

• allows for frequent, ongoing

collaboration among staff

• sustained, based on long term

goals with sufficient follow up

• provides adequate time and

resources

Professional Development

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Components of effective Professional development:

• based on school and district

goals

• emphasizes individual and

organizational change

• requires ongoing evaluation

including multiple info sources

Professional Development

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Professional Development = Capacity Building

Michael Fullan describes the most powerful form of capacity building as;

“indirect……. the use of deliberate strategies designed to help peers learn from each other – within schools, across schools, and across school districts….. lateral capacity building.”

Michael Fullan, Change Wars, 2009

The Tech Team

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

• Anyone who is interested

• 3-5 members

• Teacher staff, support staff

and school admin

• PLC format

• Various strengths & interests

• Staff comfort level and

risk taking

The Tech Team “Work”

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

The Four Domains of Leadership Strength

1) Executing

2) Influencing

3) Relationship Building

4) Strategic Thinking

“Although individuals need not be well-rounded, teams should be.”

Tom Rath & Barry Conchie, Strengths Based Leadership, 2008

Team Diversity is Important

“Hey! Look what Zog do!”

Larson

The Followers

Integrating Technology for Personalized Learning Mike MacDonald Symposium 09

Followers’ Four Basic Needs

1) Trust 2) Compassion

3) Stability 4) Hope

“The chances of employees

being engaged at work when

they do not trust the company’s

leaders are just 1 in 12”

Tom Rath & Barry Conchie, Strengths

Based Leadership, 2008Larson

Accountability

School Development Plan 1-3 Year Formal Planning

Document Technology and or

Personalized Learning Realistic, Attainable,

Measurable PD plan flows from this

How Important is Planning?

“Well. So much for the unicorns……. But, from now on, all carnivores will be confined to ‘C’ deck.”

Larson

Accountability

Teacher’s Long Range Plans Technology expectations from the beginning

Embedded into their units

Not all subjects all terms

Personalized to staff skill and comfort levels

Accountability

Alberta Program of Studies ICT Outcomes

http://www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/ict/programs.aspx

International Society for Technology in Education http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=NETS Students & Teachers

Accountability

Teacher’s Growth & Development Plans Individualized One or two years One out of two goals associated with technology

integration and or personalized learning Tangible links with school professional

development plan

School Based Tech PD

Beyond School & District PD TLC’s (teacher’s learning with computers) Teacher involvement in designing PD days Student mentors Tech Preps School-based support for trouble shooting

(encourages risk-taking)

Assessment

Multiple Forms In-Class Assessments Individual Students Assessments Formal Assessments Report Cards Student Self Assessments TPGP mid year assessments E-Portfolio’s

Student E-Portfolios

Video reading samples (per term) Writing samples (per term) Art work Self-Assessment Rubrics Projects, Research Student Lead Conferences Copy for student in June

Raise The Profile

If it has a high profile in your SD Plan and your PD Plan, it should have a high profile everywhere.

Assemblies Websites Students presentations Hallways Student lead conferences School performances & celebrations ( use

developed materials three times) (synthesis)

Recruitment & Retention

If this type of learning design and execution becomes pervasive in your school, it can help to;

Retain current talented staff. They will have a higher sense of participation and ownership of their own professional development.

Recruit talented staff that want to apply their current teaching skills in a new and more flexible learning environment.

Recruitment & Retention

Many Different Approaches…..

S. Adams

The Road Map

Is There Interest? (Fireside Chats) Assess the Skill & Comfort Level Develop the School Plan Develop the PD Plan (learner outcomes close) Incorporate the accountability pieces Front Load PD & Execute Assess and Re-assess Check Your Speed (Tipping Point)

Technology Integration Leaders Should…….

Expect the unexpected

Budgets Hardware Timelines Installations

Technology Integration Leaders Should………

Be Supportive but Assertive

“And another thing…. I want you to be more assertive! I’m tired of everyone calling you Alexander the Pretty-Good!”

Expectations = Support

Conclusion

This mission, should you choose to accept it, is not about technology, it is about….

Designing personalized learning for staff and students Designing learning experiences that are flexible and

accessible Supporting staff members in their individual journeys Focusing on assessment and what is being learned

These pieces are more about educational leadership and teacher practice that they are about technology. However, integrating technology can be the means through which they are achieved.

Thank You!

Mike MacDonald

Principal, Killarney School

Calgary Board of Education

(403) 777 – 8360

mpmacdonald@cbe.ab.ca